Anatomy of Urogenital

Question 1

At what spinal level are the kidneys positioned in the body?

Answer 1

T12-L3

Question 2

Which kidney is lower than the other and why?

Answer 2

The right kidney due to the presence of the liver.

Question 3

Under which ribs do the kidneys sit?

Answer 3

Ribs 11 and 12

Question 4

What is the renal hilum?

Answer 4

An indentation in the kidney that leads to the renal sinus.

Question 5

What structures are contained within the hilum?

Answer 5

Renal veins, arteries, nerves and lymphatic vessels. Ureters also exit the kidney.

Question 6

What are the three levels of tissue that surround each kidney?

Answer 6

Superficial layer - renal fascia
Middle layer - Adipose capsule
Deep layer - Renal capsule

Question 7

What does the renal fascia do?

Answer 7

Renal fascia anchors the kidney to it’s surrounding structures and to the abdominal wall.

Question 8

What does the adipose capsule of the kidney do?

Answer 8

Fatty tissue that protects the kidney from trauma and holds it in place.

Question 9

What does the renal capsule do?

Answer 9

Serves as a barrier against trauma and helps to maintain the shape of the kidney.

Question 10

What are the two regions of the kidney?

Answer 10

Renal cortex

Renal Medulla

Question 11

What do ureters do?

Answer 11

Transport urine from kidneys to bladder.

Question 12

Where are nephrons in the kidney located?

Answer 12

Outer cortex and the juxtamedullary region.

Question 13

How are cortical nephrons different to juxtamedullary nephrons?

Answer 13

Cortical nephrons have a short loop and their tubules extend only a short distance into the medulla.

Juxtamedullary nephrons have a long loop and extend deep into the medulla.

Question 14

What are renal pyramids and where are they located?

Answer 14

Collections of tubules located in the medulla.

Question 15

Explain the path of urine drainage in the kidneys.

Answer 15

Collecting duct > Papillary duct > Minor calyx > Major calyx > Renal pelvis > Ureter > Urinary bladder

Question 16

What is the outer cortex comprised of?

Answer 16

Outer cortical zone and juxtamedullary zone

Question 17

What comprises the inner medulla?

Answer 17

12 renal pyramids

Question 18

On entering the kidney which is superior, the renal artery or the renal vein?

Answer 18

Renal artery is superior to the renal vein.

Question 19

What is the glomerulus?

Answer 19

High pressure capillary bed between an afferent and efferent arteriole.

Question 20

What surrounds the glomerulus and what is it’s function?

Answer 20

Bowman’s capsule which forms a lumen to capture and direct filtrate.

Question 21

Explain the flow of fluid through the nephron.

Answer 21

Glomerulus > PCT > Descending limb of the loop of Henle > Ascending limb > DCT > Collecting Duct

Question 22

Explain the blood flow through the kidney.

Answer 22

Aorta > Renal artery > Segmental artery > Interlobar artery > Arcuate artery > Cortical radiate artery > Afferent arteriole > Glomerulus capillaries > Efferent arteriole > Peritubular capillaries > Cortical radiate vein > Arcuate vein > Interlobar vein > Renal vein > Inferior vena cava

Question 23

What is the blood supply to the ureters?

Answer 23

1. Branches of the renal artery (upper ureter)
2. Branches from the gonadal artery (middle ureter)
3. Branches from the internal iliac artery (lower ureter)

Question 24

What is the blood supply to the upper ureter?

Answer 24

Branches of the renal artery

Question 25

What is the blood supply to the middle ureter?

Answer 25

Branches of the gonadal artery

Question 26

Where do the three uteric constrictions occur?

Answer 26

1. Pelviuteric junction. 2. As the ureter cross the pelvic brim (common for kidney stones to be lodged here). 3. As the ureter enters the bladder.

Question 27

Where does the major calyx drain into?

Answer 27

Renal pelvis

Question 28

What is the blood supply to the lower ureter?

Answer 28

Branches of the internal illiac artery.

Question 29

Where are macula densa cells found?

Answer 29

The DCT and JGA

Question 30

What do macula densa cells do?

Answer 30

Help to regulate GFR by altering blood pressure. They detect the concentration of Na+ in the distal convoluted tubule.

Question 31

Where are mesangial cells located?

Answer 31

Glomerulus

Question 32

What do mesangial cells do?

Answer 32

Remove trapped residues and aggregated protein from the basement membrane thus keeping the filter free of debris.

Question 33

What do mesangial cells secrete?

Answer 33

Prostaglandins and cytokines

Question 34

Where are podocytes located?

Answer 34

The bowman's capsule

Question 35

What do podocytes do?

Answer 35

The podocytes have filtration slits between them allowing substance to diffuse out of the blood into the filtrate.

Question 36

When does kidney development begin?

Answer 36

Week 3

Question 37

When do the kidneys become functional in the embryo?

Answer 37

3 months

Question 38

What are the three kindeys that form in the embryological development of the kidneys?

Answer 38

Pronephros Mesonephros Metanephros

Question 39

Describe the pronephros.

Answer 39

The first kidney to form, develops in week three. The pronephros has a pronephric duct which empties into the cloaca.

Question 40

What germ layer are the kidneys formed from?

Answer 40

The mesoderm

Question 41

Which of the three kidneys is functional in the adult?

Answer 41

Metanephros

Question 42

What happens to the pronephros after it is formed?

Answer 42

The pronephros begins to degenerate in week 4 and is gone by week 6.

Question 43

What replaces the pronephros?

Answer 43

The mesonephros

Question 44

Describe the mesonephros.

Answer 44

The mesonephros has a mesonephric duct developed from the pronephric duct.

Question 45

What happens to the mesonephros after it is formed?

Answer 45

The mesonephros begins to degenerate in the 6th week and is gone by the 8th week.

Question 46

Explain the formation of the metanephros.

Answer 46

The metanephros forms in the 5th week, developing from a uteric bud.

Question 47

What does the uteric bud form in the final kidney?

Answer 47

Collecting ducts, calyces, renal pelvis and ureter.

Question 48

What makes up the majority of the amniotic fluid around the fetus?

Answer 48

Fetal urine

Question 49

Explain what the cloaca forms.

Answer 49

The cloaca forms a urogenital sinus.

Question 50

What develops from the urogenital sinus?

Answer 50

Urinary bladder and urethra.

Question 51

Explain the ascension of the kidneys.

Answer 51

The kidneys form in the pelvis and then ascend into the abdomen. This leads to the kidneys having multiple blood vessels supplying them.